Stretchable laminates that include at least a nonwoven fibrous web bonded to an elastic film are well known in the art. These laminates are particularly useful when used to make at least one of the numerous elements that ultimately form disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, pants and adult incontinence products. For example, stretchable laminates may be used to make stretchable elements such as stretchable ears, stretchable side panels or a stretchable outer cover for an absorbent article. Among other benefits, these stretchable elements provide a better fit of the absorbent article on the user. A typical stretchable laminate that includes a fibrous nonwoven web bonded to an elastic film may be relatively hard to elongate by a caregiver or a user unless the laminate as been mechanically “activated.” During mechanical activation, the stretchable laminate is strained to allow the laminate to at least partially recover some of the ease of elongation that the elastic film had before its bonding to the nonwoven web. Some nonwoven webs, such as webs made of carded staple fibers, are easily stretchable or elongatable even when bonded to an elastic film. During mechanical activation, carded webs offer relatively little resistance and, as a result, a stretchable laminate that includes such carded webs can be pre-strained to a great extent without causing either the carded web or the elastic film to tear completely. The main drawback of carded webs is their cost in comparison to other nonwoven webs such as webs that include a layer of spunbond fibers. The relatively inexpensive manufacturing process used to make spunbond type nonwoven webs can make them particularly attractive for use in a stretchable laminate but these webs tend to be much more difficult to elongate without causing the spunbond web and/or the elastic film to tear during the mechanical activation of the laminate. Due to their manufacturing process, spunbond webs may also have local variations in their basis weight that can cause the spunbond web and the elastic film to tear during mechanical activation. A stretchable laminate whose elastic film is torn cannot be used and must be discarded causing undesirable waste and expenses. A stretchable laminate whose nonwoven web is repeatedly torn may be unpleasant to the touch when the laminate is elongated by a caregiver or a user. A nonwoven web that is partially or completely torn offers little or no resistance to limit the elongation of the overall stretchable laminate which in turn may potentially lead to the failure of the stretchable element made of the laminate if a caregiver or user elongates the elements abusively.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a stretchable laminate that includes a spunbond nonwoven web bonded to an elastic film to form a laminate that is able to endure mechanical activation without causing the spunbond nonwoven web or the elastic film to tear. It is also an object of the invention to provide a process for making such a stretchable laminate. It is still an object of the invention to provide an article having at least one element that includes such a stretchable laminate.
It is believed that at least some of the objects of the invention can be accomplished by stretchable laminates that include a nonwoven web having a spunbond layer made of bi-component fibers of a certain type. It is also believed that at least some of the objects of the invention can be accomplished by stretchable laminates that include a nonwoven web having a spunbond layer having a more uniform basis weight.